Happy Birthday
by Puldoh
Summary: Splinter's struggles on his sons first birthday since the mutation...despite the different ages...it has been one long year... Dedicated to Culinary-Alchemist and Hummerhouse for their Birthdays. I hope they like it.


**Dedicated to Culinary-Alchemist on DeviantArt and Hummerhouse for their birthdays! Happy Birthday! Hope you like it...sorry it's late...finally was able to post it today!**

* * *

Splinter smiled as he saw the calendar. _My sons birthday is the day after tomorrow! _He thought with a smile, checking on his sleeping toddlers. It was their first birthday since they mutated and he wanted to make it special.

He listened to the radio, checking the weather and sighing as he heard the same news he heard earlier. Still raining..._how am I to go topside for food if it continues to rain so much..._

He already had bags and boxes blocking the entryway where water was coming in. He didn't want to leave his toddlers on their own but they were almost out of food.

Splinter smiled as one of his sons woke up, smiling at Donatello who walked over, "Good morning my son, how are you today?" he asked him, smiling as he just smiled at his father.

Splinter held him, played with him that morning and as his sons woke up, he played with all of them. He had to help Michelangelo move around since he didn't crawl yet. He was still concerned about that as he believed his sons ages were differently mentally even though their bodies may be the same age.

"My sons, are you hungry?" he asked them, smiling as he brought out some bread and noodles. It was the last he had in their home.

At his sons words, "Yes daddy," and the small gurgle from Mikey who agreed.

He gave them some food, feeding Michelangelo himself. He wondered about their development sometimes, thinking of how old they really were.

_Leonardo was the first to speak and walk, running around and always watching his other brothers and making sure they didn't wander off. He figured Leonardo was at least 4 mentally and he was about the size of a two year old._

_Donatello was tall and thin but seemed quite healthy, a nice tall 2 year old body...possibly 3 as he was tall. He was always picking things up and looking at them and he was fascinated with books and devices. He loved the small toys he found, Legos especially. He believed Donatello to be about 4 as well due to his intelligence._

_Raphael was a moody toddler at times, enjoying his cars and loved to run around. He was slightly smaller than the other two. He was always teasing Donatello and Michelangelo though and enjoyed arguing with Leonardo. As such, he figured Raphael was at least 2 and a half, dubbing Raphael in the stage of Terrible Two's he had heard so much about._

_Michelangelo didn't walk yet nor has he attempted to talk. He was obviously the youngest one, still a baby mentally. He was smaller then the rest by quite a large margin and was concerned since he still had yet to grow in any teeth. He often wondered if the baby couldn't talk for a reason but he would wait and be patience._

He let them play around, wrapping Michelangelo in a cloak he tied around his waist so the baby wasn't alone on the ground. He started working on building the play pen he needed to have in place before he left to find his sons some food.

It only took 20 minutes to build the area up, having found a closet like area where he could put them inside that would let them be safe. He built a little rock wall with bricks and debris inside the lair.

He started by putting Raphael and Donatello inside and then went to get Leonardo when he heard laughter behind him.

Turning around, he saw Raphael pushing the small rock wall he had built just moments before and sighed, "Alright my sons...I will be gone for not even 15 minutes...so I will have to leave you here..." he said worriedly. He glanced around the small one room area he had found, a cheap door was the only sign of a way in.

_He didn't want to leave his sons...but he knew he had to find food...and the last time he tried bringing them to the surface, they were almost discovered. And then when he tried to leave them in a box in the sewer below, they managed to escape and Donatello almost fell into the water. _

"You stay!" he commanded to them, his heart aching at the thought of leaving them behind. Michelangelo was asleep on the floor and so was Donatello. Raphael and Leonardo were wrestling with eachother and he knew he should not leave but if he was quick, then maybe he could return in minutes.

He left.

* * *

It was pouring rain outside and people were scrambling all over, the rain coming down so hard it hurt against his furred skin. He saw people yelling and trying to run for shelter. He knew he must hurry so he ran towards a bus depot he knew of and saw many people lining up to get inside.

As the bus pulled away, he was in luck as he saw two bags of forgotten food on the benches. He grabbed them both, grateful fate was helping him that day.

He hurried below, knowing the rain water was bad for the sewers. He froze in place, his heart suddenly quenching with sudden fear when he heard it.

His babies were screaming and crying in fear. He ran as fast as he could, running into the lair. His bags of food fell to the table beside the door without a backwards glance, even as some fallen fruit fell to the sewer water filled floor.

"MY SONS!" he cried out, seeing the floor was engulfed in water. He could hear crying and wailing and ran towards where two of his sons were against the gap in the wall, Raphael holding onto Donatello and they were both screaming.

"Raphael...Donatello!" he cried out, scooping them up and placing them on the table in fear, "Where is Michelangelo and Leonardo!?" he cried out, calling their names frantically.

"D...Dada! Dere! Dere! They falled through dere! Mikey falled...Leo went afta 'im!" Raph sobbed in terror.

Splinter looked to where he pointed, his heart racing even further in fear as he realized his sons were swept through the small storm drain. _NO!_

* * *

Leonardo was cold...his little mouth chattering from the cold but he held tightly to his baby brother. His baby brother was sick...coughing...and his eyes were closed. _Daddy said to watch them...keep safe..._but Mikey was sick...

He tried once more to lift Mikey but Mikey was to big so he did the next best thing. He pulled on Mikey's arms, trying to get Mikey out of the water.

It took some time but now Mikey had new owies...he was bleeding! Leo sat down, started to cry. _I want daddy...where daddy..._ he didn't know what to do...he was cold and hungry...and his other brothers were gone...he wanted to go home...he didn't like the sewer...

He laid down beside Mikey, feeling him tremble with cold.

* * *

Splinter ran to his sons, "Come my sons," he cried out, eyes wide with terror that he may have lost two of his sons. He quickly wrapped Raphael and Donatello in a large sheet around him, making sure they could not fall out.

He ran through the sewers, calling his sons names. There was no answering cry...no baby cries echoing in the sewers. His heart clenched with grief as he thought he lost these sons as well.

He searched for hours. Returning only out of sheer exhaustion and the need to feed his remaining sons.

* * *

Leo woke up, his head hurt and so did his body. He felt sick. _Where was daddy?_ he wondered, looking around. It was dark...and cold...and he was alone..._Daddy...where are you?_ he thought before he started to cry.

His wails echoed along the sewer walls before being joined by another weaker cry. His blue eyes snapped open, seeing his younger brother. He crawled to him, "Mikey...Mikey..." he babbled, not sure what he could say.

Mikey was crying. He didn't know why. "Mikey...you have owie?" he asked his little brother but Mikey only cried before he sobbed out his first words, "Da...da.."

"Daddy gone...awone...daddy no here..." Leo said, looking around. He curled up next to Mikey, "You hot Mikey..." and smiled at him. He played with Mikey, calming his cries.

Awhile later, Mikey started crying again but he put his fist in his mouth, his gesture for hungry. Leo was hungry too and cold. He glanced around, wondering what to eat when he found the gooey stuff daddy made sometimes and worms on the sewer ground. Crawling towards it, he started to eat, getting his fill before he brought it to Mikey.

Mikey gurgled at the food in Leo's hand, putting some in his mouth only to cough on it. Leo's eyes widened as he rolled Mikey over, making the food come back out. "Mikey no eat...bad..." Leo said puzzled, wondering what was wrong with it. _We eat...why Mikey not eat? _

Leo didn't know what to do so he squished a bunch of worms and gooey stuff in his hands before he let Mikey suck it off his fingers...and smiled when Mikey suckled his fingers. _I feed Mikey!_

* * *

Splinter went back out, his sons on his back again, his food strapped to small bags along his waist belt. He knew he must hurry. His sons could not survive long with out him.

Raphael and Donatello had scrapes and bruises from the rainwater that had infiltrated their lair and tried to wash them away but they were fine overall. A little colder and more docile as the need to search for their brothers grew.

For 2 hours, he searched the storm drains when he thought he heard a whimper. He froze, hiding in the shadows and telling his sons to be quiet.

He walked forward quietly before his eyes filled with joy and his broken heart fixed itself at the sight of a crying Leonardo and a whimpering Michelangelo.

"MY SONS!" he cried, running towards them and scooping them up in his arms. He didn't care they were both covered in mud and gunk or that they were soaking cold and filled with filth. He just cradled them in his arms, thankful they were alive.

He couldn't bring himself to question how they survive but he sobbed with relief.

Leonardo spoke first, "Daddy...I cold..." he whimpered, huddling in Splinter's arms.

"I can feel that my son...and Michelangelo is very hot..." he said concerned, his voice wobbly with emotion as he wrapped both his sons around him like he did with his others. He set out once more, knowing he needed to find a new place to live.

As he headed out once more, he found a map on the sewer wall. It was faded and dirty but behind the plexiglass, it was still intact. Studying it for a few moments, he smiled as he found a old bomb shelter that was not to far away.

He hurried towards it, sighing in anger at the demolished site at the entry way. He knew this area would not be accessable to many but if anything survived, he would be grateful.

Splinter checked on his sons, concerned on how quiet they all were, wondering if they were ill or sicker than he thought. As he made his way through the debris and past the fallen wall, he squeezed carefully through the opening he found. His heart pounded when he saw the insides were still intact.

_Maybe there is plumbing here..._ he thought hopefully, glancing around. His sons were all whimpering, Michelangelo was very hot and just whimpered and Leonardo was very cold. His other sons were fine but quiet, just clutching eachother as they sat in his wrap on his back. He quickly untied the bags of food he had found just the day before and searched around.

He found a bathroom and quickly checked the plumbing, "Oh thank god," he whispered when the water turned on for the tub and was elated to find hot water. He quickly rinsed the tub out before he found a plug. He quickly untied his sons, placing them in the water and filling the tub. Leonardo and Michelangelo screamed in fear as the water pooled around them.

"It's okay my sons, shhhh, it's okay, it's just water...shhhh..." he tried calming them.

"Nonononono!" Leonardo screamed at the top of his lungs, kicking and screaming in the tub, terrified of the water. Michelangelo was no better, just crying but he was listless, his blue eyes were glazed and out of focus.

Splinter sighed, feeling awful his sons were so scared but was glad to clean his children off. As soon as he was done, he brought them to the main room, wrapped in the blankets he had carried them in earlier that day.

As he searched the area, he was glad to find a bunker room with two beds inside. He gathered his sons up, placing them under the dusty blankets, glad they were able to sleep in a warm place. "Sleep my sons...I must look around," he said kissing them all.

It was late, nearly 11 at night and it was hard to believe it has only been a day and tomorrow would be his sons birthday. He didn't know what to do. As he searched the bunker, he was relieved to find a small kitchen area...it was very small and the stove did not work. Nor did the fridge. _What shall I do?_ he wondered. _I'll stay until they are better...then we can find a safer place._

He was exhausted and mentally tired. He walked back to the room his sons were in, carrying a tin can filled with cold water. He pulled back the blankets, frowning when he heard Michelangelo wheezing for air. "My son, are you alright?" he asked him but of course, his youngest did not answer.

Michelangelo was very pale and wheezing, his little eyes shut tightly. His legs were badly scratched up and it looked like his shell and plastron were injured as well. He shook Michelangelo, hoping to wake him up but he did not stir.

Concern rushed through him as he checked on Leonardo as well, shaking him awake, "My son are you alright?"

Leonardo stirred but started to cry. Splinter's heart raced, "What is wrong my son, please...talk to me?"

Leonardo just shook his head, holding it and crying pitifully. "Does your head hurt Leonardo?"

At Leonardo's nod, Splinter sighed, "I do not know what to do my son...I do not have any medicine for you..." so he picked them both up, holding them till they slept deeply in the bed.

Splinter fell asleep as well, holding his precious sons to him.

* * *

The next morning, he woke up to a tugging sensation on his whiskers and his eyes snapped open. He saw Raphael smiling in front of him, Donatello right beside him, reaching for his whiskers once more.

"My sons...why are you playing with my whiskers?" Splinter asked them smiling.

Raphael smiled, "Tickles...Father hair tickles..." he said giggling.

Donatello spoke, "We no have hair? Why? Or a tail...why?"

Splinter slowly sat up, smiling at Donatello's curious questions. His favorite word seem to be 'Why', 'How' and 'What'.

He checked on Leonardo and Michelangelo, pleased they were both asleep still and knowing they needed more rest. Michelangelo was still quite hot though but as he glanced at the scrapes on his legs, he knew he was causing the fever. He'd have to clean them again.

Splinter put Michelangelo down, covering him up once more before he turned to Raphael and Donatello, "Are you two hungry?" he asked them with a smile.

"Hungry, hungry!" Raph demanded, his little green eyes blazing with eagerness, tugging on Splinter's robe.

"I hungry daddy," Donatello said, him too, tugging on his robe.

Splinter chuckled, lifting them both up and walking towards the small kitchen area. He put them down, grabbing some of the food he had found the day before. He handed the boys some bread, "Here my sons, eat this, I'll heat up some algae and worms for you soon."

Splinter chuckled as they eyed the new food. Raphael frowned before he took a bite of it, his green eyes lighting up before he gobbled it down.

Donatello stared at the bread in interest, poking it and squeezing it curiously. He was enjoying the sensations when it was torn from his hands by Raphael. He started to cry, his bread was gone!

"Raphael, give that back to Donatello, that is his food to eat!" Splinter said sternly.

Raphael pouted before he handed the crumpled up bread, stating, "Mine...I hungry..."

"Then just ask me my son...I have more here," he said, handing Raphel another peice as Donatello finally started nibbling on the bread. In seconds, they were both gone.

Splinter handed them one more piece each, Donatello two, to be fair and went to gather some worms and algae for the kids.

When he returned, he sighed as he saw Raphael and Donatello now fighting on the ground, "My sons, enough! You do not need to fight!" he shouted angrily.

"He tooken my white cloud!" Donatello yelled out as Splinter pulled them apart, "It in his tummy...make him give back!" he howled.

Splinter looked at Raphael, "You know better than to take from your brother. That means a 2 minute time out!" he said sighing, walking Raphael to the corner. "You will stay here for 2 minutes, no talking, no moving...think about what you did!"

Raph cried as Splinter walked away and it broke his heart. He hated to discipline his sons at such a early age but it was needed.

Suddenly he heard a cry from the other room as he handed Donatello a new peice of bread. "Stay put my son," and hurried away.

As he entered the room, he frowned as he saw Leonardo letting Michelangelo suck on his fingers, "Leonardo...what...are you doing?" he asked curiously, seeing the content look on Michelangelo's face.

"Mikey hungry daddy...I feed Mikey with squishy food..." Leonardo said with a smile, "Make Mikey stop crying...he hot daddy."

Splinter sighed, reaching down to pick him up, "Yes...he is hot...but he will get better...come Leonardo, are you hungry?"

Leonardo nodded, jumping to his feet as he toddled after Splinter. Splinter sighed when he spotted Donatello on the floor with 4 more pieces of bread, two split in half, another in chunks and the other with no crust on the sides.

"Donatello, what are you doing?" he asked with a sigh, reaching down to grab the bread from him.

"No daddy...different...but same...!" Donatello cried out, sounding more like a four year old as he reached for the bread, "see..." as he grabbed another piece from the bag, "They look the same...but all different...see...hole...right there..no hole...this one...broken there...that one...cracked..."

Splinter sighed as he knelt down, his one arm holding Mikey securely as he picked up the bread, "This bread is for sharing my son, not playing with," he said with a small smile, "How about you give three to Leonardo and you and Raphael may have one more."

Donatello nodded, easily giving Leonardo three pieces and taking one of his broken pieces for himself and giving Raph a full piece. They sat down to eat while Splinter quickly mashed up some algae and worms for Michelangelo.

He hoped to mash some of the bananas for him later but right now, he was just hungry for the algae. He knew he could not always venture to the surface...the other night was proof of that.

_After today...he could not return to the surface until his sons were old enough...then he could give them a better life...he safer life...once they are old enough...and I think...soon...they will be...to begin training...Donatello, Leonardo and Raphael are getting to the mimic age...maybe by their next birthday...they will be ready..._

A whining cry erupted from Michelangelo when Splinter stopped feeding him and sighed, "Sorry my son, here," and continued to feed him.

_They are but one year old from their mutation...but in reality...a variety of ages...maybe this can just be the day they celebrate the day they mutated...a new birthday in a way...I wonder how I will explain that when they are older..._

As he glanced at his sons, he smiled, "Happy Birthday my sons..."

At his sons confused look and Raphael asking, "Wha' birfday?"

"Today is the day...you..." he paused _how do I explain mutated...hmmm...I know..._"today is one year since I have found you and cared for you...so a birth is when a new life is born...and today...we are celebrating the one year birthday...of you all joining me..." he explained.

_I wonder how much of that they just understood..._

"Daddy...birfday good?" Leonardo asked curiously.

"Yes my son...very good...because daddy is going to play with all of you all day..." he said with a smile, "No quiet time for daddy and no naps!"

At his sons cheering, he smiled. _One year of joy and pain...frustration and lonliness...one a half years... ...since the day I lost my wife and daughter...and gained...4 new sons..._

A new beginning...

"Happy birfday daddy," Donatello said with a smile.

"Da...da..."

Splinter gasped, looking down at his youngest, staring into his blue eyes, "Michelangelo...w..was that you? D...Did you just say...'Da-da'?"

Mikey giggled before he started to cough. He cried out, "Da-da," and curled into his daddy's arms as he coughed again.

Splinter's heart exploded into his chest with joy, "You spoke my son...I am so proud," and as he glanced at his other sons who were excited too, he said with love in his voice, "I am so happy... so proud ...and so glad...I have you my sons...Happy Birthday boys...I love you," and hugged them all.


End file.
